rashbre central: remember remember

Saturday 7 November 2015

remember remember

PB070603.jpgYes, Guy Fawkes Night - a couple of days ago but mostly celebrated at the weekend. Here's a few snaps I took of our local fireworks which started tonight at about 6.15 pm.
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The story commemorates a failed conspiracy by a group of provincial English Catholics to assassinate the Protestant King James I of England. It still gets told to all schoolchildren, although the message is somewhat diluted. I don't think the symbolic burning of the Pope is still condoned, for example.
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There's still the effigy of Guy Fawkes, which burns on most bonfires, but I suspect that the real ceremony goes back even further to Samhain and the start of the dark half of the year.
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Here's the blood-curdling children's verse:
Remember, remember!
The fifth of November,
The Gunpowder treason and plot;
I know of no reason
Why the Gunpowder treason
Should ever be forgot!
Guy Fawkes and his companions
Did the scheme contrive,
To blow the King and Parliament
All up alive.
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Threescore barrels, laid below,
To prove old England's overthrow.
But, by God's providence, him they catch,
With a dark lantern, lighting a match!
A stick and a stake
For King James's sake!
If you won't give me one,
I'll take two,
The better for me,
And the worse for you.
A rope, a rope, to hang the Pope,
A penn'orth of cheese to choke him,
A pint of beer to wash it down,
And a jolly good fire to burn him.
Holloa, boys! holloa, boys! make the bells ring!
Holloa, boys! holloa boys! God save the King!
Hip, hip, hooor-r-r-ray!

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1 comment:

Nikki - Notes of Life said...

I was at an auction with the boyfriend when I realised I was missing the fireworks display. Doh!